The Labor enquirer., 1887-05-28
ANARCHY
Is it Anarchy" for the
Farmers TO Resist
Stars ation7
CALIFORNIA CHANGERS DoIT.
Details Of Recent Determined Action
Suppressed BY the Capital.
list Press.
TRAvEs, California, May Is.

TRAvER, California, May Is.
For the Enquirer.
"Anarchy"is is rampant here just now. The
long-sufferiug, horny y-handed farmer has
laid down "his shovel and his hoe," shoul-
dered his rife and defied the law. His cry
is "Give me water or give me DEATH"
The court issued an injunction damming
the water up hill and down dale. The
whim of wealthy land-grabber, who had
no use for the water himself, but who de-
sired to test the validity of the riparian
claims was on one side of the scale. The
ruin of thousand blooming orchards and
vineyards, and the happy but humble
homes of the honest toilers on the other,
Moneybags as usual tipped the beam-the
beam in the courts eye The soulless
judge was content to view this wholesale
destruction to crafty the whim of a
wealthy dog in the manger, and issued an
injunction cutting off the natural element
upon which the very existence of these
farmers depended. His was a court Of
legal technicalities. Justice be id.
If they want justice let 'em put up money
enough to unravel the technicalities in
which she is enveloped. To make the case
more aggravating the river is almost burst
ing its banks with its limpid treasures. II
must be an insane judge that would expect
these farmers to sit idly by and watch the
booming river flow or to the sea while
their farms went to destruction.
Worms turn when trodden upon. Why
should not the farmer emulate the worm
Heis familiar with its gyrations. The
worm knows no law but natural one. II
might be better for the farmer if he exer-
cised little common horse sense" and
had less reverence for unjust, monopoly
made laws. The wantOnness of this ju-
dicial act was so apparent, however, it
stood out in such bold relief that the dull
est mind could grasp it. Freight extor-
tion, per cent per month mortgage
plasters, eviction under process of law
although equally unjust, are so interviewer
in the commercial system that the mind
of an artless citizen becomes befuddled
and he submits to the inevitable. But
here is case that strikes blow at COM
munity. They can unite on this one issue.
They see clearly the injustice of the law
and stand up like men, all in the defense
of one and one in the defense of all. They
are strong in this unity, but only on this
one issue. They have opened the head.
gates in spite of the injunction, and are
ready to defend their position with theil
lives. When will they Rave the sense to
apply the same heroic remedy to all the
ills and extortions under which they suf
fer! When will they see that the monop
olization of any of the natural resources
is a death-blow to freedom; that the maj
who tolls is the slave of him who owns tn,
resources, or controls the highways ant
avenues of exchange?
An officer of the ditch company wen
yesterday to the head-gate when he wa
promptly challenged by men on guard
He stated that he came to close the head
gate, by order of the court. The answe
came: "Self-preservation is the first Law
of nature. Go tell your mundane judg,
that we are obeying the edicts of Coz
Almighty. This head-gate will remain
open, by the Eternal"
This argument backed by five Winchesters
in sight and four hundred more in reserve
was conclusive. The water flows on mer
rily through the ad-gate, and the coun.
try meanwhile is safe. The next move
will be watched with interest. Many OF
the active participants are threatened
with arrest. J.J. NJ.
BOYcorT-John d. Spreckle's Sugar CT
San Francisco.